Hurrah for author Jessica Verday!

Bummer about the book, has a ton of authors I love. Kudos to her for not "straightening" her story (as an author, um, how could you even do that to a polished story? Change the gender and sexuality of the characters? Like two gay dudes is equivalent to a straight couple...characterization fail.) How weird that they wouldn't include just two gay characters in an anthology about fairy romance.

I posted the link on the FB page of one of the antho authors that I have met and I know is super pro-LGBT.

Didn't the publisher specify what they were looking for? I'm a little confused, because whenever I see a call for an anthology, the publisher usually specifies what they want like m/m, m/f, m/m/f, well you get the idea. Or for some calls, it doesn't matter since they tend to mix it up a bit leaving it open to the author.

Kitty- I agree. It would be very hard to just switch genders and make it work.

That's disappointing. Good for her for not giving in to the publisher's demands! Speaking as a young gay person, people like me need more books and stories about characters like us.

It's also very puzzling to hear, since Running Press has also published anthologies edited by Cecilia Tan, who is also the publisher of Circlet Press, which is extremely LGBT-friendly.

I'm glad she stayed true to her story and characters. But I'm disappointed in the publisher for making such a narrow-minded choice. What are they thinking? That there's no market for gay romance?

Good for her.

Yesterday I was in the Scripts section of AW, and read a thread about production companies forcing their own vision onto a completed script in the manner of required rewrites. I immediately started worrying that I could come close to success with the script I'm working on right now, which involves a lesbian and a bisexual girl getting together, as well as a straight couple getting together - and then have it snatched away by my ethics if the movie company decided they didn't want any F/F elements in the movie.

I eventually did decide that if that happened, I'd turn down the offer and keep my F/F movie. Now I feel all warm and validated to hear that a respected author did essentially the same thing with her M/M story.



(But yes, that publisher needs to rethink a few things...)

brainstorm77 said:

Didn't the publisher specify what they were looking for? I'm a little confused, because whenever I see a call for an anthology, the publisher usually specifies what they want like m/m, m/f, m/m/f, well you get the idea. Or for some calls, it doesn't matter since they tend to mix it up a bit leaving it open to the author.

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It doesn't look like it was a smut anthology, though.

I've sent an angry letter to the publisher, and encouraged my friends to do the same.

As someone who writes m/m, this irritates me. I'll send an angry letter too.

Also posting on facebook and encouraging re-posting and re-tweeting.

I also contacted http://www.hrc.org/ about this - as they have a huge reach - and this breach of respect for LGBT customers. I hope they run a news report on it!

Invincibility said:

It doesn't look like it was a smut anthology, though.

I've sent an angry letter to the publisher, and encouraged my friends to do the same.

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Smut anthology? Who said anything about it being a 'smut' anthology?

I used what I wrote as an example of different type of relationships. M/M, M/F, M/M/F, F/F can mean relationships and romance. My orginal point was that whenever I have spotted an anthology call, it specified what it wanted.

brainstorm77 said:

Smut anthology? Who said anything about it being a 'smut' anthology?

I used what I wrote as an example of different type of relationships. M/M, M/F, M/M/F, F/F can mean relationships and romance. My orginal point was that whenever I have spotted an anthology call, it specified what it wanted.

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Well, I couldn't figure out why the genders involved in a pairing would matter unless it was smut. If the publisher didn't specify anything, then it seems logical to assume that they aren't discriminating, right?

The editor responded to Jessica's blog post (I am not sure if it really IS the editor, but... here is the message anyway):

"Trisha Telep said...
Oh dear. Might as well give you my two cents. Not that it really matters but... Don't take it out on the publishers, the decision was mine totally. These teen anthologies I do are light on the sex and light on the language. I assumed they'd be light on alternative sexuality, as well. Turns out I was wrong! Just after I had the kerfuffle with jessica, I was told that the publishers would have loved the story to appear in the book! Oh dear. My rashness will be the death of me. It's a great story. Hope jessica publishes it online. (By the way: if you want to see a you tube video of me wrestling a gay man in Glasgow, and losing, please let me know).

MARCH 22, 2011 8:13 AM"

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I don't really like the fact that she calls homosexual relationships "alternative sexualities" and seems to compare it to the inappropriateness of sex and profanity for the audience. Love is love, it's not something that's disgusting or inappropriate...

The implication is that it was axed because it was m/m, like that's wrong, not because it was racy or profane (also wrong in the editor's eyes), but I suppose we'll never know unless she posts it.

Invincibility said:

Well, I couldn't figure out why the genders involved in a pairing would matter unless it was smut. If the publisher didn't specify anything, then it seems logical to assume that they aren't discriminating, right?

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But it does if they are targeting a certain audience. Not everyone is going to want to read a gay romance, just like others are not going to want to read a straight romance or whatever. I can count on one hand anthologies that have mixed the two together(that I'm aware of).

I agree, if they didn't specify this just seems so odd. That's what has me confused.

ETA: Well it's been explained in the post above mind. It was the editor's decision and not the publishers. If that was in fact the editor...

If that actually is the editor (and if it's a blog comment, who knows?), can I just state for the record: as much as "But I have gay friends!" is a pathetic thing to say in a discussion, "But I once wrestled a gay man!" is far, far worse. That alone makes me think this might be a pranker and not the real person? ETA: Apparently she really did say that. Sigh.

Kitty Pryde said:

If that actually is the editor (and if it's a blog comment, who knows?), can I just state for the record: as much as "But I have gay friends!" is a pathetic thing to say in a discussion, "But I once wrestled a gay man!" is far, far worse. That alone makes me think this might be a pranker and not the real person?

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Agreed.

I'm glad the publisher wouldn't have had a problem with it, at least, but... it quite bothers me that the editor didn't even bother to check before nixing it. That says a good deal about her own views, IMO.

It is the real person. Trisha even mentions it on her Twitter. What really pisses me off about this, is that the editor used her own prejudices to block the story from getting to the publishers, who she says wouldn't have a problem with it anyway. Then why the hell did you block it from being published by telling her to change the whole characterisation?

She doesn't come across as being sincere at all in that apology. And the bit at the end "Wanna see me touch a gay man? See how open minded I am, honest not a homophobia honest sweetie!" ugh patronising as hell.

I suspect it was just a statement for damage control and not sincere, or that's what I got from it.

Spotted the followup on the author's blog: http://jessicaverday.blogspot.com/2011/03/wicked-pretty-things-running-press-and.html with statements from the two publishers. I guess they asked her to include her story again, but she declined because she didn't want to work with the editor.

Looks like most of the authors have pulled out of this anthology due to the editor trying to censor this author. Particularly http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/337562.html?view=12730010#t12730010. Also Lesley Livingston, Karen Mahoney, Lisa Mantchev, Brenna Yovanoff and two other authors, Saundra Mitchell and Ann Aguirre, have withdrawn stories from other anthologies edited by Telep Other authors, including Caitlin Kittredge, have said they won't be submitting further stories to this editor or publisher. Melissa Marr has asked that her name be removed from endorsement.

Thanks for posting this link. It explains at what point she was asked to change the story. Given the fact she was already accepted, and it did not come until they started editing, I find it so freaking weird.

You're welcome, this editor has gotten some real backlash from Authors, hopefully this will be a lesson for her. I hope the publisher will release a statement or something, 'cause this is really bad press for them.

fireluxlou said:

Looks like most of the authors have pulled out of this anthology due to the editor trying to censor this author. Particularly http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/337562.html?view=12730010#t12730010. Also Lesley Livingston, Karen Mahoney, Lisa Mantchev, Brenna Yovanoff and two other authors, Saundra Mitchell and Ann Aguirre, have withdrawn stories from other anthologies edited by Telep Other authors, including Caitlin Kittredge, have said they won't be submitting further stories to this editor or publisher. Melissa Marr has asked that her name be removed from endorsement.

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Wow, I'm impressed with all these authors, gay and straight, standing up. It really gives me hope that a lot of people are rejecting the notion that stories about certain types of people are by definition off-limits for YA. At least two of the authors you mentioned up there are AWers too Thanks ladies!

PS That post made me really really want to read a Seanan Mcguire book, like really really seriously, more than all the times someone recommended her books to me.

Kitty Pryde said:

Wow, I'm impressed with all these authors, gay and straight, standing up. It really gives me hope that a lot of people are rejecting the notion that stories about certain types of people are by definition off-limits for YA. At least two of the authors you mentioned up there are AWers too Thanks ladies!

PS That post made me really really want to read a Seanan Mcguire book, like really really seriously, more than all the times someone recommended her books to me.

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Me too. I've only heard of a few of these authors so I'm going to put some to my Amazon wishlist now and put some samples on my kindle if possible. I am impressed too. I read a statement by the publisher on Jessica's website and it turns out they are 100% behind Telep even though they don't support her views. This is disappointing to me as a reader.

Seanan Mcguire is awesome personified, both as a person and writer. LOVE her books.

I have a Seanan McGuire bookmark I picked up at Norwescon last year, and I've heard/read other people online recommending her books. I'll have to add her to my TBR list, even though it's getting embarrassingly long(er).